The Purdue Real Estate Society is the student-run organization for those interested in careers in commercial real estate. The society organizes workshops, industry panels, and social activities. PRES members will be added to its Brightspace page where announcements for events are posted as well as internship opportunities. Applications for membership are open from Aug. 22 – Sept. 7, 2025. If you miss the application window, non-members may still attend most club events.
Being designated a Dean V. White Real Estate Scholar is a recognition earned by students based on their academic excellence and career preparedness to work in real estate following graduation. DVW Real Estate Scholars are eligible for additional experiential and scholarship opportunities. Juniors who have declared one of the real estate minors are eligible to apply fall semester. All applicants must have already taken or currently be enrolled in MGMT 37000, Real Estate Fundamentals.
NAIOP 1st place team, left to right: (back) Sam Stewart, Filippa Rodriguez, Zane Barnett, (front) Paige Reitz, Ava Aupperle, and Luke Starr.
Michigan REIT Challenge team, left to right: Avery Huber, Filippa Rodriguez, Zane Barnett, Ashling McNaughton, and Liam Parsons.
All students earning one of our real estate minors will participate in at least one and up to three case competitions as part of their academic coursework, with the top team awarded up to $5,000. Real Estate students may also participate in state, national and global competitions.
Most recently, six students took 1st place in the NAIOP Indiana University Case Challenge on November 19, 2025. The challenge focused on a development site in downtown Indianapolis, adjacent to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium. Teams were asked to create a comprehensive development plan, and Purdue’s team proposed a mixed-use project featuring a casino, multifamily housing and retail.
A team of five students placed 2nd at the University of Michigan REIT Challenge on October 24, 2025. “I’m proud of this group. I've had every one of them in class and they represent the very best of what the real estate finance minor at Purdue has to offer," said Jeffery Stokes, advisor to the team and clinical professor of economics.
Every year the program takes students on City Treks to Indianapolis and Chicago to explore commercial real estate sites that have been rehabilitated, recently completed, or in the final phases of construction. Students learn about the financial details and logistical challenges of every project. Each Trek includes a student networking reception with local Purdue alumni who are leaders in real estate.
On Chicago Treks, students have viewed Chicago architecture by river boat, toured the historic rehabilitation of Cook County Hospital (now Hyatt Place and Hyatt House), and visited LaSalle, Heitman, CBRE, Avison Young and Wintrust Bank, among others.
On Indianapolis Treks, students have seen rehabilitated projects including the InterContinental and the Box Factory. They’ve visited fulfillment centers, cold storage facilities, and Salesforce Tower (the tallest building in Indiana), in addition to company visits with Simon, Scannell, Ambrose, Pure Development, and Shiel Sexton, among others.
Students also explore local developments before construction is completed, including the Verve apartment complex just off campus, and the current redevelopment of the John Purdue Block Project across the river in Lafayette.
